Netherlands Math Test

    A Dutch fella wants a job, but the foreman won't hire him until he passes a little math test.

    " Here is your first question ", the foreman said.  " Without using numbers, represent the number 9. "

    'Without numbers?'  The Dutchman says, " Dat's easy."  and proceeds to draw three trees.


    " What's this? " the boss asks.

    " Vot! you got no brain?  Tree and tree and tree make nine, " says the Dutchman.

    " OK, fair enough, " says the boss.  " Here's your second question.  Use the same rules, but this time the number is 99. "

    The Dutchman stares into space for a while, then picks up the picture that he has just drawn and makes a smudge on each tree.  " Dar ya go. "

    The boss scratches his head and says, " How on earth do you get that to represent 99? "

    " Each of da trees is dirty now.  So, it's dirty tree, and dirty tree, and dirty tree.  Dat is 99. "

    The boss is getting worried that he's going to actually have to hire this Dutchman, so he says, " All right, last question.  Same rules again, but represent the number 100. "
     
    The Dutch fella stares into space some more, then he picks up the picture again and makes a little mark at the base of each tree and says, " Dar ya go.  Von hundred. "

    The boss looks at the attempt.  " You must be nuts if you think that represents a hundred! "
     
    The Dutchman leans forward and points to the marks at the base of each tree and says, " A little dog come along and pooped by each tree.  So now you got dirty tree and a turd, dirty tree and a turd, and dirty tree and a turd, vich makes von hundred.'

    " So, ven do I start "